Mumbai: Though a formal discussion on alliance between the Shiv Sena and BJP is likely to begin on January 15, both parties have exchanged their list of seats with each other, said sources. In the seat-sharing talks, the BJP has demanded more seats in the suburbs, where the party has traditional Gujarati as well as Marathi upper caste voters.
After chief minister Devendra Fadnavis showed positive signs about starting the alliance, the Shiv Sena and BJP held internal meetings with leaders of their own parties. A meeting of Shiv Sena leaders about the local body polls, headed by party chief Uddhav Thackeray, was held at Matoshree on Friday. The sources said that Uddhav directed the leaders to pay attention to rural areas, too, where zilla parishad polls are scheduled.
But the actual alliance talks between the Sena and BJP will begin after Sankranti. “We will begin our meeting with the BJP in a couple of days. Uddhavji has responded positively to the discussion and the chief minister and BJP state president (Raosaheb Danve) have also shown an interest in talks. The meeting held at Matoshree was routine as the local body polls are nearing,” Sena MP Anil Desai said. He was referring to the BJP’s state executive meeting held on Thursday at Thane, where the Mr Fadnavis and Mr Danve spoke in favour of the alliance.
On repeated statements by the BJP about transparent functioning of the BMC, Mr Desai said the people of Mumbai have been voting for his party because of clean functioning. “We are together for the past 20 years, during which four elections were held. Mumbaikars have given a positive response to the Sena and always voted for the Sena for the BMC polls. It wouldn’t have been possible without transparent functioning,” Mr Desai said.
Meanwhile, sources in the Sena said that both the parties have exchanged the lists of seats that they want to contest. “The BJP wants more seats from the suburbs, where it has its traditional voter base. The BJP also wants wards where they have MLAs and MPs elected,” a Sena source said.
